A 94th-minute header from Aleksandar Pesic secured a last-gasp 1-1 draw for 10-man Ferencvarosi TC against Viktoria Plzen in their UEFA Europa League (UEL) opener, extending Fradi’s unbeaten run across all competitions to five matches (W3, D2).
In a repeat of last season’s UEL playoff clash between the two sides, it was Plzen who started on the front foot in Budapest, with Amar Memic twice going close to a breakthrough inside the opening 10 minutes.
The visitors continued to look dangerous in attack, and their pressure soon paid dividends, as Rafiu Durosinmi raced onto Merchas Doski’s pass and fired a sublime finish beyond Denes Dibusz from the edge of the box.
Unbeaten in all seven of their previous European home games against Czech opposition (W6, D1), Ferencvaros tried to gain a foothold in the contest as the first half progressed.
However, their task was made all the more difficult when right-back Cebrail Makreckis was dismissed after picking up a second yellow card for cynically pulling back Matej Vydra.
Armed with the numerical advantage, Plzen looked to extend their lead at the start of the second period, as Vydra saw a long-range strike smartly saved by Dibusz, and Sampson Dweh fired narrowly wide from the edge of the area.
The hosts remained a threat at the other end, though, and Robbie Keane’s men could’ve drawn level, only for Bence Otvos to miss the target with an instinctive effort in the six-yard box.
Chances continued to flow at both ends of the pitch with time ticking into the final quarter-hour, the best of which fell to Callum O’Dowda, who headed wastefully wide when well-placed in the box.
There was still time for late drama, though, as the hosts netted a dramatic leveller deep into stoppage time, with Aleksandar Pesic glancing Gavriel Kanichowsky’s inviting delivery into the far corner to salvage a point at the death.
Flahscore Man of the Match: Merchas Doski (Viktoria Plzen)